The present invention relates to a method of communication between a first communication apparatus and at least one second communication apparatus, implemented by an electronic call assistant which is able to operate in at least either a background mode in which the electronic call assistant is able to monitor a first number of tasks or in a foreground mode in which the electronic call assistant is able to control carrying out a second number of tasks.
Such a method is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,789.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,789 describes a computer-based electronic assistant which is arranged among others to receive and manage incoming calls to a subscriber. The electronic assistant, after having received the incoming call, establishes a first communication link with the caller and a second communication link between the caller and the subscriber. It then operates in a foreground mode. After having established the communication links it shifts to a back-ground mode in which it monitors the communication between the caller and the subscriber. By means of a summoning command (i.e., the spoken command xe2x80x9cWildfirexe2x80x9d) the electronic assistant can be switched back to the foreground mode in which it is able to carry out several commands given by the subscriber.
After having established the first communication link, the electronic assistant assists the caller to trace the subscriber to whom the caller wants to be connected. The electronic assistant, e.g., checks whether the subscriber is already calling, whether the subscriber is away, or does not want to accept any telephone calls. The electronic assistant may even try to locate the subscriber in an other place where he is supposed to be at the moment of calling according to a schedule made up by the subscriber. If any of the attempts of the electronic assistant to locate the subscriber, and thus to establish the second communication link, fails it may request the caller to leave a message and send an e-mail message to the subscriber""s workstation.
When the subscriber is present but busy with another telephone call, the electronic assistant may briefly interrupt the actual call to notify the subscriber of the waiting call and request him whether he wishes to be interrupted by the waiting caller. Additionally, visual messages may be sent to a workstation of the subscriber. If the subscriber does not want to be interrupted the electronic assistant will automatically provide the second communication link as soon as the actual call has finished. However, if the subscriber agrees to be interrupted by the second caller, the electronic assistant places the first caller on hold and establishes a communication link between the second caller and the subscriber. When during this latter telephone call a third caller calls the same procedure is repeated, and thus a queue of waiting callers on hold may be formed. To switch to one of the waiting callers the subscriber first generates the summoning command (xe2x80x9cWildfirexe2x80x9d) to the electronic assistant in order to put it to the foreground mode. Then, the subscriber gives a predetermined command (the xe2x80x9cpress-the-hold-buttonxe2x80x9d command) as many times as is needed to reach the waiting caller concerned.
Other options of the electronic assistant disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,769 are managing a schedule of the subscriber, sending messages, sending reminders to the subscriber, and keeping records as to persons, groups of persons and places, as well as telephone records.
The known system is able to accept both spoken commands and electronic commands, e.g., generated by the keys of a telephone apparatus. The electronic assistant sends its messages to the subscriber either by artificial, spoken language or by messages shown on a monitor or the like.
In general, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,789 switching between the back-ground and foreground modes happens in the following way. When the electronic assistant is in its foreground mode and the subscriber says xe2x80x9cThat will be all for nowxe2x80x9d, the electronic assistant jumps to the back-ground mode. When the electronic assistant is in its back-ground mode the subscriber has to generate the summoning command (xe2x80x9cWildfirexe2x80x9d). Then, the electronic assistant enters a kind of main menu and replies xe2x80x9cHere I amxe2x80x9d to confirm its active status. The subscriber is then allowed to choose any command of a predetermined set of commands that are supported by the electronic assistant. For instance, to deal with a queue of callers on hold, the subscriber uses the command xe2x80x9cWho""s on holdxe2x80x9d.
There is no priority schedule for the tasks that may be carried out by the electronic assistant, and the subscriber has to know the full set of possible commands to work on the level of the main menu. For some subscribers this may be a burden to use the electronic assistant since it lays too much emphasis on the knowledge of the subscriber.
The object of the present invention is to improve the user-friendliness of electronic call assistants.
Therefore, the present invention provides a method as defined at the outset which is characterized in
that the electronic call assistant is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence, and
that the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant as soon as a user of the electronic call assistant has switched the electronic call assistant from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.
Such an electronic call assistant greatly helps users of a communication apparatus which is provided with the electronic call assistant, when the users are not very familiar with all of its features. When the user instructs the electronic call assistant to enter its foreground mode the electronic call assistant takes over full control of the communications and assists the user step-by-step through the tasks waiting in the priority list in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting asks.
However, the provision of such a guiding mode within the foreground mode may be extended by the provision of a main menu mode known from the prior art. In such an embodiment the electronic call assistant is also able to enter a main menu mode in its fore. ground mode, in which the electronic call assistant is able to receive commands of the user, the commands being related to tasks of equal priority.
Preferably, the electronic call assistant is arranged for automatically entering the main menu mode from the guiding mode after it has established that there are no waiting tasks in the priority list. Thus, the electronic call assistant always gives priority to dealing with waiting tasks in the priority list, as soon as it enters the foreground mode.
However, it is also possible to give the user the possibility to leave the guiding mode and to jump to the main menu mode in which the user has more control. In such an embodiment the electronic call assistant is arranged to request the user in the guiding mode whether he wishes to deal with any waiting task at any time the electronic call assistant is starting to deal with a next waiting task, and to jump to the main menu mode when the user informs the electronic call assistant not to do so.
Sometimes, the user is calling with a caller at the time the user switches the electronic call assistant from its background to its foreground mode. This may be the case when the user is calling with the caller and the electronic call assistant informs the user, e.g. by a beep, that there is an urgent waiting task. Then, the electronic call assistant may be arranged to put the caller on hold.
Examples of tasks which may be carried out by the electronic call assistant in its main menu are:
returning to a caller on hold;
automatic dialling either by voice or digit dialling;
reading either an e-mail or a voice mail box;
transmitting a message to either an e-mail, a voice mail box or a facsimile apparatus;
reading a facsimile by means of optical character recognition (o.c.r.)
completing a call;
screening a call;
monitoring reminders.
The method of the present invention may include that the electronic call assistant is arranged to switch from its background mode to its guiding mode after the user has operated a *-key of his communication apparatus. The communication apparatus may be a common telephone apparatus. When the electronic call assistant is implemented by means of software in a telephone exchange, this means that no new telephone apparatuses need to be installed to carry out the method according to the invention. Any user can simply activate his electronic call assistant by operation of the *-key of his telephone apparatus. The electronic call assistant will then communicate with the user by means of artificial, spoken language, whereas the user can communicate with the electronic call assistant by means of spoken language or by operating keys of his telephone apparatus (DTMFxe2x80x94Dual Tone Multi Frequency).
For carrying out the method according to the invention, the present invention also relates to a communication apparatus for communication with at least one other communication apparatus comprising electronic call assistant means able to operate in at least either a background mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to monitor a first number of tasks or in a foreground mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to control carrying out a second number of tasks characterized in
that the electronic call assistant means is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence, and
that the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant means as soon as a user of the electronic call assistant means has switched the electronic call assistant means from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant means controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.
In one embodiment the electronic call assistant means is also able to enter a main menu mode in its foreground mode, in which the electronic call assistant means is able to receive commands of the user, the commands being related to tasks of equal priority.
The communication apparatus might be a telephone apparatus comprising a *-key, wherein the electronic call assistant means is arranged to switch from its background mode to its guiding mode after the user has operated the *-key.
The present invention also relates to a computer readable medium provided with software which, after being read by and installed on a communication apparatus as defined above, provides the communication apparatus with an electronic call assistant means able to operate in at least either a background mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to monitor a first number of tasks or in a foreground mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to control carrying out a second number of tasks wherein
the electronic call assistant means is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence, and
the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant means as soon as a user of the electronic call assistant means has switched the electronic call assistant means from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant means controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.
In one embodiment, such a computer readable medium provides the communication apparatus with the electronic call assistant means which is also able to enter a main menu mode in its foreground mode, in which the electronic call assistant means is able to receive commands of the user, the commands being related to tasks of equal priority.
The software related to the electronic call assistant means need not be implemented on a communication apparatus like a telephone apparatus. The software related to the electronic call assistant means for any user may be located centrally in a telephone exchange which is communicating with any of the communication apparatuses. Therefore, the invention also relates to a communication system comprising at least a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus, and comprising electronic call assistant means able to operate in at least either a background mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to monitor a first number of tasks or in a foreground mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to control carrying out a second number of tasks characterized in
that the electronic call assistant means is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence, and
that the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant means as soon as a user the electronic call assistant means has switched the electronic call assistant means from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant means controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.
In one embodiment of such a communication system, the electronic call assistant means may also be able to enter a main menu mode in its foreground mode, in which the electronic call assistant means is able to receive commands of the user, the commands being related to tasks of equal priority.
The software related to the electronic call assistant means may be distributed by a computer readable medium as defined above. However, alternatively, the software may also be downloaded to end-users from a central location. Therefore, the present invention also relates to a method of transmission of software which, after being read by and installed on a communication apparatus as defined above, provides the communication apparatus with an electronic call assistant means able to operate in at least either a background mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to monitor a first number of tasks or in a foreground mode in which the electronic call assistant means is able to control carrying out a second number of tasks, wherein
the electronic call assistant means is arranged to arrange waiting tasks in a priority list in accordance with a priority sequence, and
the foreground mode comprises at least a guiding mode which is entered by the electronic call assistant means as soon as a user of the electronic call assistant means has switched the electronic call assistant means from its background to its foreground mode and in which the electronic call assistant means controls carrying out the waiting tasks in accordance with the priority sequence of the waiting tasks in the priority list.
In such a method of transmission, the software may provide the communication apparatus with the electronic call assistant means which is also able to enter a main menu mode in its foreground mode, in which the electronic call assistant means is able to receive commands of the user, the commands being related to tasks of equal priority.